Monday, September 24, 2012

Sports and Female Nutrition

Women are exceptional and successful world class athletes,
but women have the extra stress of the female cycle.Hormones and menstruation are a huge factor
in athletic performance.Higher and
cyclical nutritional needs require a constant monitor and awareness of the flux
in a woman’s body.

What makes an athlete?It is the exceptional ability to pump huge volumes of blood quickly
through the heart, liver and lungs.Blood
cleansers such as Red Clover, Nettles and Chlorophyll can help to clean the
blood and decongest the liver.For
women, herbs such as Vitex (Chaste Tree Berry) are helpful to bio-degrade
hormones in the liver.

Notes on ironTrack your cycle to make sure your iron is up
before your period starts, this can be done with beets, blue and black
berries, beet greens, red meat, barley malt, and black strap molasses. Miso and
tamari sauce are good to increase B12.Floradix liquid tonic by Salushaus (Flora) is the only worthy iron
supplement is my opinion.It also will
work as a mild detoxifier for the liver.If you have had problems with constipation while on iron supplements,
this highly digestible and absorbable food form will be a much better choice.

Antioxidants

Athletic performance increases the body’s
production of free radicals. We choose to exercise to feel better and look
younger, but end up damaging and aging our cells at an increased rate.

Free radicals are reactive compounds that
can damage the cells that they come into contact with. Although impossible to
avoid, we need to minimize our exposure to free radicals while simultaneously
supporting our body’s ability to neutralize them.Unless kept in check, excessive free radicals
can cause a chain reaction that contributes to the erosion of good health. This
is why berries and specifically a concentrated berry supplement should be
thought of as one of our most effective defenses.

What is ORAC?The latest scientific standard for measuring the antioxidant
properties of food is in ORAC units (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). ORAC
measures the total antioxidant capacity of a food or nutrient and can help us
to understand its antioxidant strength. This is where berry concentrates really
shine.

Green
food supplements

Each little scoop offers the health promoting properties of a
whole days’ worth of veggies. Greens foods are highly alkaline, full of
wonderful phytonutrients and should be considered one of the cornerstones of
any supplement program. A berry supplement should be thought of in the same
way.

Berry concentrates and green foods both offer tremendous
health benefits, but the most complete nutritional strategy includes a serving
of each.

In praise of the noble Avocado

Many
years ago I had a friend who bicycled over 40 miles so that she could purchase
one avocado.At the time I thought she
was stark raving bonkers!I now can
understand why she saw the Avocado as an essential food worth going ‘the extra
mile’.

It is
interesting that the signature of the avocado is shaped like the womb and
cervix of the female and it takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado
from blossom to ripened fruit. It contains about 141 photolytic chemical
constituents of nutrition including Essential Fatty Acids, glutathione and
Vitamin C.When a woman eats one avocado
a week, it helps to nourish the glands and help to balance the hormones. It
feeds the brain, joints and skin.

This
amazing fruit easily adds a creamed texture to any food.Mashed and added to a vinaigrette is
instantly becomes a cream dressing loaded with nutritional value.It can be whipped with a little agave syrup
and vanilla extract to make an amazing dairy free ‘whipped cream’ dip for fresh
fruit. Try it in sandwiches and salads.Try it as a milkshake by adding it to rice, almond or soy milk.

Spread lightly over bottom of skillet and leave it to dry for a bit without
stirring

When it releases from the bottom, stir
gently and fairly constantly (you may need to reduce heat)

This is ready when seeds are fragrant,
slightly golden and hollow

Cool slightly and store in an airtight jar.

To release the calcium and minerals inside
the seed, grind the seeds coarsely with a mortar and pestle or small coffee grinder
just before serving.

For an interesting and calcium rich salad
dressing, grind about ¼ cup with mortar and pestle, or small coffee grinder and
add to any Balsamic Vinaigrette.

To get more calcium working with foods,
remember anything that has structure, has more calcium.For example, brussel sprouts have more
calcium content than leaf lettuce.

Just as soaking beans for 8 hours activates
the enzymes and makes the beans easier to digest, so is true with nuts and
seeds.

Soak organic almonds overnight in pure
water.Drain in the morning and eat 6 or
so 2x daily.Soak organic pumpkin and
sunflower seeds in pure water for about one hour.Drain and add as a topping to salad or
rice.Instead of a dry waxy crunch, you
will now have a tender and fresh food
crunch.

Boil a heaping teaspoon of Oatstraw in a
pint of water for 5 minutes and then use this water for making tea.Nettles would be a safe choice to increase
iron as well as performing as a natural diuretic.Mineral rich Alfalfawould be a great choice.Put something else fun in it for flavour.I like cranberry juice, or lemon/lime juice.

Keep
in mind that it is not only the calcium we ingest, but the calcium that we
deplete.

Nutritionist, Anna Marie Colbin has a
published a great deal of research regarding the calcium bandits and their
effects over a long period of time.Acid
based foods draw calcium to buffer from our system.Coffee, and sugar and especially carbonated
beverages are huge calcium thieves.So
it’s not only what we eat, but what we don’t.

A Miracle Grain

Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that is a nutrient power house.
Quinoa is very high in protein (14% by mass) and is also considered a
complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 amino acids required for a human
diet. It is high in calcium – making it a great selection for vegans or those
who are lactose intolerant. It also has good amounts of phosphorous, iron and
fibre.

Higher in monounsaturated fats than wheat and grain, quinoa is very
heart healthy. It also contains small amounts of omega 3 fatty acids.

At one time only available in specialty or health food stores, quinoa is now
widely available at grocery stores. The standard quinoa is off-white, however
black and red quinoa is also available. It is an extremely versatile ingredient and can be substituted in
for a recipe that calls for a whole grain. The flavour is mellow enough
that it can accompany many flavour profiles.

Quinoa is cooked similarly to rice.
When cooked, quinoa will quadruple in volume (1 cup dry will yield 4 cups
cooked). For the most part, quinoa should be rinsed before cooking

Cooked quinoa can be
enjoyed hot or cold.Store dry quinoa in an airtight
container in the fridge for three to six months. Cooked quinoa can be stored
refrigerated about three days.
Quinoa flour is also available and is used commonly in gluten-free baked
goods.

Cooking
Quinoa

(1Cup) of the largest, whitest Quinoa you
can find (organic Bolivian)

I have found a great brand from Cosco – ‘Tru Roots’ organic

*Quinoa
has a resin on the outside which will be bitter is you don’t rinse like mad

Put the one cup of grain in a large
measuring cup add cool water.

Whisk vigorously and drain carefully

Repeat this rinse at least 5 times and cover with clean water to
the 4 cup mark

Soak for at least 2 to 8 hours on counter.
If you are not ready to cook it right away you can put grain and water and all
in the fridge.What you are looking for
is that the quinoa grain will almost triple in size

Before cooking drain carefully and rinse
and whisk the Quinoa another 5 times.

Transfer to a good rice pot and add (1 cup)
of water

Bring to a full boil and stir well.

Put
lid on and turn heat to lowest setting

Time
for 15 minutes then take pot off heat and let rest for another 5 minutes.You want an el dente grain. Don’t overcook!

Take off the lid right away and fluff with
a fork.

For a side grain, serve as is.As a salad grain, let it cool.

Option:Throw in chopped spinach or swiss card and let the greens wilt.

Quinoa has a very delicate flavor and can
be overpowered by strong herbs or strong flavoured oils, so keep flavours light

Cover and marinate in fridge for 1 hour or
so.

In regard to the Quinoa Salad, I have used the basic recipe
but substituted cooked rice or wild rice/rice or even potatoes that were
cooked and left over.

I always have fresh mint/parsley growing in pots outside
and add this to any food I eat during spring/summer/fall. For potatoes, I
like a lemon/olive oil dressing. By soaking nuts and seeds you have
easily digestible essential fats and a way to up your protein.

Mineral BalanceThe other addition I might suggest if you are beginning to
exercise or are in the peak of training/competition especially in the summer
heat is a supplement called Endurolyte, which is a supplement that replaces
electrolytes lost during exercise. It is much like Gator-aid but without
the sugar and nasty colour chemicals.

Women Who RunThere is little difference between ‘running’ and ‘on the
run’.Any woman who has a lifestyle that
is extra demanding can use extra nutritional support.Often women look after everyone else and let
themselves get run down.

The one constant in
life is changeA Specialized Kinesiology assessment can determine what
your current personal nutritional needs are.We are at our best when we follow a personal and individualized program
that changes as our lifestyle changes.

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About Me

What I Do

I am a Medical Intuitive who has an extensive background in: Behavioral Kinesiology, Nutritional Therapies, Homeopathic and Herbal Drainage, Flower Essence Therapy, Brain Integration and Neuro-meridian Circuitry. My professional research has been acknowledged and published in the Professional Kinesiology Practitioners Manual recognized for credits through the International Kinesiology College of Zurich Switzerland. I have been in private practice in South Western Ontario for over twenty four years.